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Author
Topic: Best Buy Razor Outrage (Read 9230 times)

i was thumbing through USA Today this week when i came upon a full page age from Best Buy advertising this red Razor cell phone. The heading stated if you bought this red phone it would help "cure aids in africa."cure....? i find it hard to believe this piece of plastic is going to 'cure' aids. granted aids AND HIV programs need all the money they can get. However to use this pandemic for a marketing tool is detestable. I sent an email to Best Buy expressing my outrage by using the word 'cure' in their advertising. I received a form type reply for 'any inconvenience they may have caused me' well thanks! any way i think Best Buy needs a few more emails. if im not mistaken u can not give out links on this site. but google best buy, click customer service, then contact us.

You gotta wonder what wet-behind-the-ears copy nitwit or clueless editior let that go by. Fight AIDS would be more accurate I suppose, not that Best Buy really gives a crap about anything but its bottom line.

Next time I'm at Best Buy I'm going to ask to speak to the head manager and tell him/her what I think of that ad and ask him to convey my anger to corporate HQ. He/she might just ignore me, but let's see. Jay

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Her finely-touched spirit had still its fine issues, though they were not widely visible. Her full nature, like that river of which Cyrus broke the strength, spent itself in channels which had no great name on the earth. But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs.

Since it's inception for some reason there has been things to this I clearly don't understand.For one thing the dubious track record of human rights in China where these items come from.I was in the GAP this weekend and a cap ($3-16) was going for $40.I am curious in the transparency of this project.How is aid given?What are the conditions of the people in China who make the items?In countries with dubious regimes what is the mechanics?How is the money divvied up, do larger countries get more aid?For me this looks more like a corporate tax break than a program to help Africa.Besides the feel good sound bites I am left with more questions.

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"You shut your mouthhow can you sayI go about things the wrong wayI am human and I need to be lovedjust like everybody else does"The Smiths

Okay... please don't think I'm taking the side of Best Buy because YES... they chose bad wording in their ad, BUT at least they are doing SOMETHING, for Africans. Funny how no one considers it a problem here. Anyway...

I've recently moved from the "Gay Mecca" of San Francisco to the loveable Cowboy country of Irving Texas, belive me, being mad at Best Buy sounds really silly from where I sit. Being mad at Best Buy for making a bad choice of words is one thing, but don't be furious and wasting your time yelling at them, that's another.

There are too many other idiotic things that need your anger. Look at the dimwit in office for the most obvious target. After hearing his speach last night, I was amazed at how well his team can make him look. Oh yeah, he pulled Reagan's team. Come on, this guy got into office TWICE.. notice I didn't say WIN.

I do encourage everyone to write letters to Best Buy and let them know how we'd ALL love a CURE but that maybe their ad needs some work. Then thank them for doing something.

I would be more angry at the GAP for charging $40 for a hat. Do I get an HIV discount? Anyway I am sure best buy will use semantics to get out of it. Will there be a red iphone which will compete with Razor?Again I have other questions about this campaign. And why did Iggy delete his post?Johnny

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"You shut your mouthhow can you sayI go about things the wrong wayI am human and I need to be lovedjust like everybody else does"The Smiths

Okay... please don't think I'm taking the side of Best Buy because YES... they chose bad wording in their ad, BUT at least they are doing SOMETHING, for Africans. Funny how no one considers it a problem here. Anyway...

I've recently moved from the "Gay Mecca" of San Francisco to the loveable Cowboy country of Irving Texas, belive me, being mad at Best Buy sounds really silly from where I sit. Being mad at Best Buy for making a bad choice of words is one thing, but don't be furious and wasting your time yelling at them, that's another.

There are too many other idiotic things that need your anger. Look at the dimwit in office for the most obvious target. After hearing his speach last night, I was amazed at how well his team can make him look. Oh yeah, he pulled Reagan's team. Come on, this guy got into office TWICE.. notice I didn't say WIN.

I do encourage everyone to write letters to Best Buy and let them know how we'd ALL love a CURE but that maybe their ad needs some work. Then thank them for doing something.

Bubba hugs,Patrick

Hey Patrick, point well taken. Going to follow your advice. Jay

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Her finely-touched spirit had still its fine issues, though they were not widely visible. Her full nature, like that river of which Cyrus broke the strength, spent itself in channels which had no great name on the earth. But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs.

Best Buy aint doing nothn' for the Africans.....just like Big Pharm aint doing nothn' for the Africans. Itz about one thing.....money!

Best Buy is a major corporation. I find it hard to believe Best Buy takes out a full page color ad and it was 'just bad wording'. They knew exactly what words they were using. Now if it was Bob's Cell Phone Shop down the street; u got me As susceptible to advertising as people are, using the word cure as they did is nothing short of negligent. At best it shows the ignorance of peoples understanding of the crisis. I bet more people saw this ad then the World Health Organizations report on Aids.

When i see something like this, ill take the 45 seconds it takes to send someone my opinion. I bet when <god i pray> they find the cure, they wont say 'it was all because of that little red phone'.

as for 'w' well id get blisters on my fingers after typing every thing id have to say. im afraid of the secret service coming to my door like they did w/ that girl who had an anti-bush web site.

you might think its "silly"....but i look at it as letting corporate america know were here. gota start somewhere.

And while I like the idea.....why continue to send the money abroad. I know plenty here that can use it. Lots of ASO's!!!

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LIFE is not a race to the grave with the intention of arriving safelyin a pretty and well-preserved body, but, rather to skid in broadside,thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming--WOW! WHAT ARIDE!!!

It's part of the "Project Red" program. Apple has an iPod model in this, which I actually have considered purchasing as I still don't own an iPod so why not buy one where at least PART of the profits will do some good? There are a lot of companies participating: http://www.joinred.com/products.asp?p=5

Do you also fail to see the miserable state of the this nation towards HIV? With pharma's having all people ( not just us HIVers) by the balls and in cahoots with the politicians, I fail to see why there isn't more.The state of health care here in the US is atrocious. Awhile back I made a comment about Medicare and someone got upset. Now I m on Medicare , I found out I was right along. My visits are time wasting, Dental care is bad, I am waiting 4 months to see a dermatologist. 4 months!Just read some of the posts here from people in the West and South and then ask yourself that question again. plus you are only dealing with a small minority of pwa that use this site, how many don't have internet access to even voice their frustration? I have worked since I was 16 and paid into the system yet am forced to feel like I am begging for what is mine. Yes this is a political matter and you can remove corporation responsibility from political, but then what are these corps doing for Americans with HIV?One only has to look at the pics of Katrina to realize things aren't as rosy as we'd like them to be.

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"You shut your mouthhow can you sayI go about things the wrong wayI am human and I need to be lovedjust like everybody else does"The Smiths

geez, way to move the goal posts in framing your argument. I only stated that I fail to see the outrage in some companies attempting to raise money for HIV/AIDS through existing sales of existing product lines. I don't see that as profiteering on the backs of the suffering.

Aside from that if I move on to the substance of what you just posted, however tenuous it was to any commentary I offered concerning the thread, all I can offer to you is that I am also on Medicare and my standard of care has been quite good. I guess it depends where you live (my experience has been in NYC and now in Philadelphia). I'm sorry that you are frustrated by your medical care and of course I've long been an advocate of single payer national healthcare.

I worked since I was 16 too... tell me something I don't know. So a corporation tries to do something for HIV and you still slam them? Wouldn't it be more constructive to say "OK, great thanks... now can I ask you to consider doing another program?"

You are misreading the tone, yes it is great that companies do their part in fighting the cause de jour. Except in today's world to many people are hip to the not so altruistic intentions of fighting ( place your cause/disease here).I am not the only one raising these questions. So you feel good about this. It makes you feel good that they can use this among other things to write off taxes in America. Does it make you feel good to find out that many of these factories are slave shops? That yes it is good money is going to help rid Africa of HIV ( though never clearly expressed how) That the workers health will probably suffer from working conditions. After all that is why the factories are there in Asia , because human life is cheap.Also it should be noted that these factory towns in Asia are now at the forefront of the AIDS epidemic in the world, Sorry to rain on your parade, but I would be more impressed if these companies did more for their workers, then Africa,but that isn't profitable. So while you are happy to wear your yellow lance armstrong rubber band maybe think about the 9 year old boy who made it.

From Unicef:The Asian and Pacific regions harbour the largest number of child workers in the five to 14 age group, 127.3 million in total. (19 per cent of children work in the region.) And Nike:http://www.american.edu/projects/mandala/TED/nike.htmNike as a helper or exploiter to IIIrd World

Recently if you go to a shop to buy your child a new soccer ball. There is a good possibility that the ball has been made by someone your child's age or even younger. About half of the world's soccer ball are made in Pakistan, and each one of them passes through a process of production where child labor is involved. This problem not only pertains to Pakistan but is worldwide. More than 200 children, some as young as 4 and 5 years of age, are involved in the production line. Majority of these children work in Asia, e.g in the nations of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia.

Nike is characterized of making its equipments in countries which are in the developing phase, having very cheap labor, authoritarian government and lack of human rights appeal and union movement. In doing this it has made greater margins on the cost of mere cents to its workers. So Nike success story is not based on good name and advertising alone but also attached to it is the tears of tortured workers and child labor.

A columnist 'Stephen Chapman' from Libertarian newspaper argues that "But why is it unconscionable for a poor country to allow child labor? Pakistan has a per-capita income of $1,900 per year - meaning that the typical person subsists on barely $5 per day. Is it a a revelation - or a crime - that some parents willingly send their children off to work in a factory to survive? Is it cruel for Nike to give them the chance?" (source: http://www.raincity.com/~williamf/words96.html) Stephen argues that the best way to end child-labor is to buy more of the products that children produce. This would increase their demand, and as they will produce more, they will earn more, hence giving themselves chane to rise above poverty level and thus also benefiting the families of the children and as well as the nation.

However, the issue is not that simple. Increasing the demand of the products produced by child labor means encouraging more child labor, encouraging more birth rates, more slavery, increasing sweatshops and discouraging education - as parents of the children working in factories would want them to work more and earn more. If this happened to be the case, then more and more children will be bought and sold on the black market, leading no end to this problem. By encouraging more child labor, you are not only taking away those innocent years from them but also the right to be educated and the right to be free.

Yeah your right why are we so dour?

« Last Edit: January 23, 2007, 12:09:54 PM by alisenjafi »

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"You shut your mouthhow can you sayI go about things the wrong wayI am human and I need to be lovedjust like everybody else does"The Smiths

Why do you continue to move the goal posts? Why does a discussion like this move into the slave shop topic? Hilarious, as you type on your China slave-communist manufactured computer!

I would be more impressed if you turned off your computer, unplugged your corporate broadband globalist conglomerate connection and submitted your queries with a sharpened #2 pencil and some paper that is destroying the rain forest.

You're just starting to sound like a wacko overly extremist person divorced from any semblance of reality.

whoa whoa whoa people......lolsorry to cause so much trouble. i had one basic point. at the end of the day, best buy, a major corporation, used the words 'cure aids' as a marketing ploy. in my oppinion this is unacceptable. end of story.